Christmas Genius
by Tomo Potter
Summary: Artemis has brought Holly to see his town square's christmas tree, and it's the most amazing thing she's ever seen. AFHS


_A/N: Jingle bells are ringing once again, and what better way to celebrate than with further Holly/Artemis ficcy goodness! Mucho ficcage coming soon, but for now here's just some sweet christmassy goodness to tide you all over. _

_Warning: Cuteness, smooching, adorable Artemis. Also, it's been a looong time since I wrote AF, so bear with me. Trying to get back into the swing of things and all that tosh._

_Note: I don't know if fairies celebrate Christmas. Nor do I care. I didn't write this to be right, I wrote it to be cute._

_Disclaimer: Christmas belongs to Hallmark and Santa. Artemis Fowl belongs to Eoin Colfer. Mistletoe belongs to the Order Santalales. (Betcha never knew that! See! Fanfiction encourages learning! And we all love to learn! Yaaaaay!)_

**Christmas Genius**

"Mud boy, I don't see why I'm here." Holly said, feigning annoyance. "I could be caught." The two of them were walking through the mostly deserted town square in Dublin, Holly with her shield on, Artemis looking as nonchalant and ignorable as Artemis Fowl could.

"There's a reason. To do with a human tradition. You'll see when we get there." He smiled, a smile that was only part vampire smile, and was part something else, something else that made Holly blush, and fume angrily to cover up. Of course, Artemis could see her, but that didn't stop her being embarrassed by blushing. Mud boys should _not _be able to do that.

"Yeah, well I still don't think it's anything of any real worth. It's freezing here, and I could be sp-"

Holly stopped speaking mid-sentence, and even forgot to shield, though thankfully nobody but a drunk slouched in an alleyway saw her appear. Her beautiful eyes - one hazel, one blue - widened, her long lashes almost brushing her eyebrows in shock.

Standing in front of them was something Holly Short had never seen, in all eighty five years of her life. An enormous Christmas tree, bedecked with all sorts of beautiful glimmering lights, tinsel that shimmered at the slightest breeze, baubles of all shapes, sizes, and patterns, and atop it all a beautiful, glowing star, lighting the whole square and dancing across the lightly falling snowflakes, making them almost glow with a kind of magic unique to Christmas. Holly was enthralled. Her perfect mouth opened slightly in shock, her eyes shining with wonder. All this Artemis observed with a strange feeling in his chest, realising just how pretty Holly Short was.

"What... what is it?" Holly asked breathlessly, never taking her eyes off the tree, or even blinking.

"It's a Christmas tree. Most of them aren't so big, but this is the human tradition I wanted you to see. Every year, this is set up in the square, and most homes make one themselves, but much smaller, of course. Then, on the twenty-fifth of December everyone exchanges gifts. It's just a general feel-good time." Holly turned to look at him, tearing her eyes from the tree reluctantly, and saw that Artemis was once again smiling that strange smile, one that seemed to lack most of the Fowl coldness, replacing it with... warmth? Weird.

"It's amazing!" Holly smiled, her face lighting up with pure joy. "Do you have one back at the mansion?"

Artemis nodded, and that smile didn't go away. "There's even a present for you under there."

"But why... all of this... why?" Holly looked at him, confused. Artemis Fowl was never this nice without a reason behind it.

"Everyone deserves a Christmas, at least once. I just wanted to give you one." His expression had changed now, Artemis looked almost... bashful? The world really was turning upside down today.

"That's... unbelievably sweet of you, Artemis. And I mean that. Why?" Holly eyed him suspiciously.

Artemis shrugged. "Christmas is better with friends. And like I said, everyone deserves a Christmas. Besides, the look on your face when you saw that tree was worth it. You looked so delighted, like a little kid who's all excited." He smiled that odd, warm smile again, and Holly found herself slightly caught unawares by all this random kindness from the usually cold Fowl heir.

"Season of giving." Artemis added, and smiled. "Come on, want to go back to the manor now? I've arranged for you to stay with us over Christmas, if that's okay with you. Butler has already set up your room.

"I'd like that." Holly smiled, that infernal blush returning. She had always been thankful for her dark skin, glad she didn't actually show blushes often. Artemis seemed to notice though, because he smiled.

"Come on then, I'm sure Butler will get worried if we are too long looking at the tree. Let's get back to the manor."

Holly nodded, taking one last look at the beautiful tree, as snowflakes settled in her auburn hair lightly, before she turned away and shielded, following Artemis to the Fowl Bentley.

000

"Wow." Holly breathed, smiling, when they entered the parlour. The whole room was festooned with bright reds and greens, and in one corner stood a towering Christmas tree, decorated as lavishly as the one in the town square. Artemis' parents smiled at her from their armchairs by the fireplace, and Holly was suddenly glad Artemis had advised her to wear a hat.

"Mother, Father, I would like you to meet my very good friend, Holly Short." Artemis smiled, looking at Holly, who was dressed, now that she had removed her winter gear, in an olive green tank top, and black trousers. She supposed she must look very military, even though these were her civilian clothes.

Angeline Fowl smiled. "It's wonderful to finally meet you dear, Arty's told us so much about you." She got up and stepped over to Holly gracefully, extending a hand, every inch of her oozing casual, easy elegance that made Holly feel slightly intimidated; just a short girl in everyday clothes, standing before this smiling, beautiful woman, with Artemis' blue eyes, diamond jewellery, and perfectly applied makeup. Holly reached out and took her hand almost shyly, Angeline merely grasping it slightly before releasing.

"Ah, Holly. It's good to meet you." Artemis' father stood up, smiling. He was the spitting image of Artemis, and Holly liked the fact that he looked far healthier than last time she had seen him, dying in Russia. There was warmth in his cheeks, and a spring in his stride as he walked over to the elfin girl and also grasped her hand firmly, though his handshake was more exuberant than Angeline's. "I hear you're going to be joining us for Christmas?"

"Yes, father, she is." Artemis answered in his usual clipped tones. Artemis the First smiled.

"Let the girl speak for herself, Arty! She's got a voice, she can use it." He smiled encouragingly.

"Uh... yes, I'm gonna be staying for Christmas, if it's alright with you Mr. Fowl." Holly smiled, and the man laughed. Holly liked Artemis' father already.

"Of course it's alright, we're glad Arty's finally making some friends. That's a lovely accent you've got by the way, where are you from?"

"Uh... New Zealand." She said, picking a place quickly that, from her experience, had a fairly neutral accent. "I've travelled a lot though."

"Oh really, that sounds very interesting. You'll have to tell me all about it over dinner. Angeline, darling, we should check and see how things are doing with that meal. Care to join me?"

"Of course, my love." Angeline smiled that perfect smile, gliding over to take her husband's arm. For a woman who had been insane a mere few years ago, she had recovered remarkably well. "Lovely to meet you, dear." Angeline added, touching Holly's shoulder lightly with one fingertip, and then she and Artemis the First departed, leaving Holly alone with a crackling fire, a Christmas tree, and Artemis Fowl the Second.

"Your parents are lovely." Holly smiled, and meant it. They were warm, caring people clearly, and loved Artemis deeply. Artemis nodded, smiling.

"What's with the smile?" Holly asked randomly, her desire to know what the smile meant taking her over. "Usually your smiles are all scary and vampiric, but now they seem... warm."

Artemis shrugged. "I don't know. I think it's something about Christmas, it just makes everything seem magical."

_'It sure does.'_ Holly thought. Aloud, she said; "I suppose."

Artemis sat down in the chair his father had been in, Holly taking the chair next to it, and the two of them merely stared into the fire for awhile, the wheels in Artemis' mind clearly turning, while Holly thought about all the strange and wonderful things that had happened this last hour. So Artemis Fowl had a human side. Who knew.

Artemis suddenly smiled one of his usual vampire smiles, meaning he had just had an idea. Holly didn't bother pressing it though, just watched Artemis stretch his neck backwards...

...And then freeze. Holly blinked, looking at Artemis. He appeared to be looking at something and, wondering what it was, she followed his line of sight to a pretty green and white plant on the ceiling. Was that all? She wondered.

"What's the matter?"

"Mistletoe." Artemis said simply, and Holly blinked.

"What's so bad about mistletoe?"

"It's... erm... a Christmas tradition." Artemis was... blushing? What? "When two people are under the mistletoe together, they have to...er...have to... kiss." Oh. Artemis was scarlet, and Holly could tell she was as well. Blushing looked horrible on Artemis, due to his Irish complexion, and Holly almost giggled. And then remembered her situation. Oh snap.

Artemis removed his eyes from the mistletoe at last, turning his blue and hazel eyes on Holly, his piercing gaze matching hers in colour exactly. Holly locked eyes with the genius, and in that second, she knew what was going to happen.

Slowly, as if afraid, their faces moved together. It was only a small kiss, nothing fancy with open mouths or tongues or anything, and even then Artemis seemed afraid to try anything beyond a sort of gentle lip-bump. Of course, Holly was more experienced. She had dated Trouble Kelp briefly, and he was very... er... physical. They had broken it off for that reason, and had managed to stay friends.

Artemis was drawing back slightly when Holly decided to take a chance. She wasn't sure why she took it, or how she had thought of it, or anything, but she wrapped her arms around Artemis' shoulders, pressing them closer together again. Artemis was clearly shocked, but he placed his hands shyly just above her waist, as though not sure what else to do with them. Holly got to take charge, then. Fine by her. She licked Artemis' lips gently and he parted them hesitantly, his tongue meeting hers. It was by no means the best kiss Holly had ever had, certainly not an orgasmic, mind-numbing, leg-clenching kiss, but it was probably Artemis' first, and for that he was doing well, his tongue massaging hers gently, as they rocked together. However, of course, all kisses had to end sometime, and the angle they had had to put themselves at was awkward, and not very comfortable at all. And so, with a slight popping sound, their lips parted, Holly resting her nose on Artemis' instead.

"Um..." Artemis said awkwardly, as though not really sure how to say what he had to say.

"Don't bother talking." Holly said, smiling. "Talking leads to confusion, which leads to anger, which leads to no more kisses. For once, switch off that big brain and motormouth of yours." She smiled, and before Artemis had a chance to respond, Holly's lips were once again covering his in a gentle, sweet kiss.

Artemis silently decided that this was the best Christmas ever.

_A/N: Well I'm squeeing. That's def. how I picture their first kiss, all sorta awkward, with Artemis not really knowing what to do, and Holly sorta knowing, kinda. Of course, once Artemis gets experience, he will KICK.SOME.ARSE in the kissing department XD_

_Well Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, and have a good Hannukah, and I'll see you ALL next year (Unless y'know, you're Chinese. Then I'll see you before next year XD)_


End file.
